Pretty Packages: Gift Wrap

Bows and Boughs

Metallic Leaf Wrap

Add a personal touch to purchased gift bags with pressed leaves painted silver or gold. Place fresh leaves between sheets of newspaper weighted with a stack of books and leave them for one to two weeks. Paint the dried leaves with crafts paint or spray paint.

Natural Wrap

Give packages an old-fashioned simplicity with solid-color paper and natural trims. Look for the papers at specialty paper stores. Tie with ribbon or twine, and tuck in fresh bay leaves, pepperberries, or cinnamon sticks. Drill holes in dried pomegranates and glue them to the twine ends.

Photo Wrap

Decorate each package with a photo of the recipient. Photocopy or scan and print the photo onto the center of a piece of white paper. Wrap the box with the paper. Tie the box with a ribbon and tuck in greenery.